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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30063606">Walking Through Time and Flowers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan'>ericsonclan</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>We are Monsters, We are Proud AU [41]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Creatures &amp; Monsters, Dryads - Freeform, Fear, Flowers, Friendship, Gen, Past, Vampires</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:41:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,724</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30063606</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Prisha and Ruby spend time walking in the flower gardens when some words bring up old fears.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Prisha &amp; Ruby (Walking Dead: Done Running)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>We are Monsters, We are Proud AU [41]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1699969</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Walking Through Time and Flowers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>(by Linnea)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Why these have to be the fanciest clothes I’ve ever worn,” Ruby did a small spin to show off her red Victorian recreation dress. The red and golden tassels swayed this way and that with the dryad’s movements. Prisha smiled over at her friend who seemed absolutely thrilled to be all dressed up for their walk in the flower gardens. Ruby returned the smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your dress looks divine, Prish. To think you were able to salvage that from the Victorian era itself.” The dryad’s words made the vampire look down at her light teal dress that had a simple yet beautiful design down the sides of the dress and around her wrists. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why thank you, Ruby. You’re far too kind,” Prisha took out her parasol and opened it, gently laying the handle against her shoulder. “Shall we?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ruby followed suit, opening up her parasol and shading her face. “Let’s go see all the flowers and plants. Oh, this will be just grand,” Ruby had a peaceful look on her face as she glanced over the vampire’s way. Prisha gazed forward at the nearly empty pathway. It really was the ideal situation to have as few humans around them as possible. While Prisha could pass more so as a human than Ruby could, that didn’t stop the odd glances and fearful looks when she showed her fangs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily Ericson High had a staff meeting day which meant no classes were in session and the monsters were free to do as they pleased. Ruby and Prisha had been planning for a walk through the flower gardens for a few weeks now. Life always seemed to go against them whenever they got close to the day they had planned for though. Prisha had a bad case of bat fever or Ruby had to celebrate a certain dryad holiday that forbade her from being more than ten feet away from her tree. But today, today they were finally doing it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for joining me today. Violet would join me for the walk but to dress up in these fancy dresses and such is a bit out of her comfort zone.” Prisha’s voice drew over Ruby’s attention. The dryad had a gentle, warm smile on her face as she looked over at the vampire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aww, Sug. No, thank you. Aasim could never join me on a walk like this. He’d adore dressing up and all but with how pricey it would be to get fireproof Victorian style clothes along with the fact he’d burn the flowers if he got too close... it would be more of a disaster than a delight,” The dryad looked sad for a moment but quickly shook off her negative emotions and  focused on the present. “Did you ever go on walks like this back in the day?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ruby’s question made Prisha’s gaze shift from the scenery around to the dryad. “I did, it was customary to do so and I always enjoyed it. The talks I had with friends, the scenery we took in,” Prisha’s eyes flickered with sorrow at the thought that all those of that era were now dead and gone. All except her. Quickly the vampire snapped back to a happier topic. “It was quite a pain to figure out how to still enjoy the walks without being sunburned. Vampires have many perks but our tolerance to the sun isn’t one of them. Since the special sun lotion I use nowadays wasn't invented yet, I had to scour for the most shaded spots for walks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That must've been rough,” Ruby gave a sympathetic look but Prisha simply shook her head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, luckily it was rather easy. The other effects of vampirism were more frustrating to deal with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ruby nodded in understanding before she gave an excited gasp when they had reached a patch of bright, vibrant tulips. Red, orange, yellow and pink tulips surrounded them. The flowers stood strong and proud as if showing off to the visitors that came to see them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They are beautiful,” Prisha lowered herself to get a closer look at the pretty flowers. Ruby took a spot beside the vampire, her eyes sparkling at the sight of all the wonderful buds of nature.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aww, that one is just a small sprout,” Ruby pointed at an orange tulip, a slightly smaller height than those around it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really? Can you tell a flower’s age?” Prisha’s eyes widened when she saw Ruby nod.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s right, flowers aren’t my strongest specialty for nature age estimates. But heck have I gotten better these last few years. That little orange fella is three days old.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three days old. That </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>young,” Prisha examined the flower with curiosity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, tulips tend to last for only a week or two,” Ruby stated simply. The two monsters looked at the tulips for a few minutes. Prisha asked what ages different buds were before the dryad rose up to her normal height and suggested they keep moving along. Prisha agreed and so they continued forward, stopping next at an area surrounded by roses of all colors and sprouts of baby’s breath scattered amongst the roses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, roses tend to last only a week while this here baby’s breath lasts up to several weeks.” Ruby informed her friend as she lightly touched a pink rose. The small buds on her wrist swayed with her movement. “I feel a bit bad for these fellas - they’re surrounded by flowers that won't live with them for long. Then they’ll just be left all by their lonesome.” The dryad stared at the rose for a moment longer before realizing who she had just said that to. “Oh horsefeathers! I’m sorry, Prisha. That was real rude of me to say.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Think nothing of it,” Prisha put her hand on Ruby’s shoulder and gave a reassuring smile, her little fangs poking out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, well how about we head over to the next patch of flowers?” Ruby pointed over to a patch of daisies. The dryad’s green veins shone lightly in the sunlight before she guided her friend to the next spot. Prisha listened to Ruby talk about this and that: how important nature was and that she was thankful for every single activist fighting the good fight to save every bit of nature they could. The dryad then went into a long monologue on the family history of her dryad family and how they saved a forest with all the local wildlife in it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Prisha tried her best to pay attention but the words Ruby had said were still bouncing in the back of her mind. A flower that would outlive the rest. She had been so happy at Ericson High that she had completely forgotten the overwhelming loneliness she once knew all too well. To think that one day that could return made her heart fill with an overwhelming sadness. Her friends would all go before she would - every single one of them. Even Violet. That thought froze Prisha to her spot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...And that’s when she discovered a new species of mushrooms-” Ruby paused for a second when she noticed that Prisha hadn’t followed her. “Prish?” The dryad turned around, her eyes widening in surprise when she saw tears streaming down the vampire’s face. An unrelenting, copious amount of tears. “Sug, what's wrong?” Ruby didn’t have to wait for an answer; she already knew what this was about. Silently she took Prisha’s hand and guided her to the shade of a large oak tree. The dryad rummaged around in her pocket and handed her handkerchief to Prisha who took it and tried to wipe away her tears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“M-My… my apologies, I just-” Prisha’s voice disappeared when another fit of tears choked her up. Ruby sat beside her and gently rubbed her back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It's alright, Prisha. You just need to give the tears a moment to get all out,” The dryad waited patiently with her friend who continued to cry before regaining her voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is foolish of me to be crying like this,” The vampire looked down at the grass and began to play with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s nothing stupid about showing your emotions. It just shows how big your heart is!” Ruby’s fiery eyes looked up at Prisha who gave a small chuckle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suppose you’re right,” Prisha placed the damp handkerchief in her lap. Her eyes grew somber and she began to fidget with the handkerchief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m really sorry about what I said. It was unkind of me,” Ruby noticed Prisha try to say otherwise but she held up her hand. “Let me finish. I don’t know what it’s like to be a vampire but I know it must be tough, living forever and all. But here’s the thing: you can’t let that fact cripple ya. You need to look life in the face and realize something.” Ruby took both of her friend’s hands. “That we have </span>
  <em>
    <span>years </span>
  </em>
  <span>together. Years that will be filled with joy, laughter and more memories than you think your heart can hold but it will. So you have to live in the moment. Never let a moment go to waste!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dryad’s words caused the vampire’s eyes to grow large. Her friend had spoken words that seemed to touch her deeply. Ruby smiled warmly. “So, here’s what we’re gonna do. You and I are going back to my place and we’re going to continue our fancy friendship date with a tea party. My ma and pa have the best darn tea supply that you could find in all of Richmond. Okay?” Ruby’s blue eyes looked into Prisha’s. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The vampire gave a shaky nod and smiled at her friend, her fangs poking out just a teeny bit. “Alright,” Prisha rose up to her feet and helped her friend. The two walked in silence for a few moments before the vampire spoke up. “Ruby?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you. Truly. I’m lucky to have a friend like you.” Prisha’s words made the dryad practically beam with joy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aww, you’re the sweetest. I’m lucky to have you as a friend too, Prish. You really are one of a kind.” Those words made a warm, calm smile appear on Prisha’s lips. Her fears and worries slowly melted away towards the back of her mind and she decided to enjoy the moment with her friend. Today she would live in the moment.</span>
</p>
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